Page 79 of Winter Unleashed

I nibbled my lip while debating using his help with Celeste or sending him back to work on Isaac.

“Stop worrying, my Vinura. Your friend is fine. If he dies, I will let you kill me yourself.”

I nodded to Belial. “Okay. Stop calling me Vinura though.”

Our group was down three shifters and a fairy, but we’d gained a demon. I wasn’t sure if that was better or worse. Belial’s magic, whatever he had left of it, clearly worked in the hellhole of Alfurgrund, so that was a bonus no matter how many fighters we had left.

“It would have been nice if you’d been here earlier. That shit is what almost killed Isaac,” I said, motioning to the mist still surrounding the cabin.

“Yes, well, my tardiness could not be helped. You see, the bitch sicced a gang of goblins and a swarm of pixies on your Academy.” He smiled when I gasped. “Have no fear, my lovely, I got there in time. No children were injured.”

I nibbled my lip as I stared at him. “Thank you.” It felt weird to be thanking the demon who had been so mischievous he’d caused Artemis to strip him and his fellow male fairies of their magical abilities.

He leaned in close to me. “If it makes you happy, it makes me happy.”

I groaned. “What would make me happy is getting my mate back,” I said. “Any suggestions on getting rid of that damn mist?” I glanced back at the house and noticed the terrified look on Celeste’s face as she stared at the demon.

When she saw me looking at her, she pulled Astrid inside and slammed the door.

Belial tilted his head and moved to stand directly in front of the house. He reached out his hand and ran his fingers through the mist. “Well, let’s see,” he muttered as he held both hands up and chanted something under his breath. After a few moments that same loud crack sounded, and the mist dissolved. “How’s that?”

“Great! Now let’s get the bitch,” I said as I strode forward. The second my hand gripped the doorknob, I froze.

Stella placed her hand on my shoulder. “Em?”

I took a shaky breath and looked at my friend. “If Liam is— If she’s done anything to him—”

“She hasn’t,” Belial said. “And she won’t.”

My gaze snapped up to him. “How can you be so sure?”

“I know her. She won’t hurt him. At least not enough to kill him.” His lips pulled into a scowl. “She thinks she loves him.”

I wasn’t sure if it was the confidence he exuded or my absolute need for Liam to survive, but I believed him. Shoving any lingering fears aside, I thrust the door open. I saw Astrid first. She sat on a chair beside the fireplace, staring at Celeste who was across the room with Liam. Her back was to us as she whispered to him.

When I stepped further into the house, Astrid turned to me, and I moved toward her. “Do you haveanyof your magic here?” I whispered.

“Some, but not a lot. I’ll have enough to throw some at her, but I’m not sure how effective it’ll be. With Belial’s help, we might have a shot. But by blocking my power, she had to block her own as well.”

A creaking sound had us turning to Celeste. “Think again, sister,” she said before letting out a laugh. “I’ve been busy since our parting. I’ve gained more knowledge than I could ever have dreamed of.”

Astrid rose and stepped closer to her. “Impossible.”

The two fairies threw invisible spells at each other. Astrid dodged most of them, but one hit her square in the gut and sent her flying backward into the wall. She slid to the floor where she was so still, I thought maybe she’d died. But after a few moments she groaned and pushed herself to stand. A second later Celeste’s back slammed into her kitchen counter, but she also bounced back up a moment later.

“Okay,” I said with a sigh. “This is getting us nowhere. You’re only proving you have equal power.”

Celeste turned her attention to me. “She is not my equal.” She smiled the smile I’d seen in my nightmares. “I told you Liam is mine. And now that I have him and Astrid, I no longer need you,” Celeste said as she threw her head back and lifted her arms.

The room filled with dark, swirling clouds. A bolt of lightning hit the floor a foot in front of me. Another followed, a little closer this time.

“Uh, think you can help with this?” I asked Belial as I took a few steps backward.

“We’ll find out, won’t we?” he replied with a frown.

“Hit her with whatever you’ve got, and we’ll go from there,” I said.

Taking advantage of Celeste’s diverted attention, Liam moved around her to stand beside me. He grabbed me and kissed me, hard and fast. “Don’t die.”